Mutation

Chapter 3: The Calm

The clear water tumbled over Trista's hands as she set them deeper in the cool brook, watching her father set the fish net with stakes on both sides of the stream, his hands steady and strong. She looked up at the canopy of leaves above her head, scissortails and mockingbirds flitting amongst the branches as a few golden - colored leaves let go and floated to the earth. Trista sighed with contentment. This was paradise.

Trista stood up, lifting her hands from the stream, and a column of water followed her palms.

Neo's light gray eyes glanced over at her and seemed to sparkle. "Another power?" he smiled teasingly.

Her concentration broke and the water fell back into the brook. "I guess so." she smiled back.

"How many do you have now?"

"I have . . . five, now. Invisibility, teleportation, levitation, wishing powers, occasionally, and now water control. And . . ." Trista studied the current for a moment, and thrust her hands towards the water, pulling a water bubble with a silver fish inside from the stream. "I think I found a better way of catching fish."

Neo laughed. "Just like your mother. Put that fish in the bucket, it'll be good for our dinner."

"Alright." The very confused fish was put into the old paint bucket, and quickly became frantic, swimming in circles, going nowhere.

Trista frowned and looked back up at her father. "Dad?"

"Yes, butterfly?"

"In all the books I've read, the character always goes on some great adventure and meets many people. And, well . . . I haven't met many people. Why can't I go and meet people, and have friends, and show them my powers while they show me theirs?" she was slightly embarrassed. She had never asked that question before, even though she had wanted to for years. Mostly, the only place she had seen people was at the small store they went to when they needed things, or an old man a few miles away who occasionally sold them livestock, but she could never really get into a conversation with someone, let alone show someone her powers.

Neo sighed. She was certainly a girl of many questions! But he couldn't blame Trista. Perhaps it was time to tell her. "Trista . . . I want you to know that you are . . . very special. Unlike any other."

She nodded. "I know there's no one like me."

"No, you don't understand." he scratched the back of his neck. "You are really special. Trista . . . other people don't have powers."

"What?"

"The only reason you have your powers is because of me and your mother. When we were experimented on, all of us got a unique power. We supposedly got cured, but a few strands of DNA must have slipped through, and . . . now you have powers."

"You mean . . . you don't have any powers? You said you had wish-giving."

"I had invisibility too, but I was cured of that. But every so often, I can almost feel as if I have them again." Neo looked wistfully out into the deep, green forest.

Trista stared at the fish flicking its tail hopelessly in the bucket. Maybe that's why she felt so sorry for it - because it felt a little like she did. Trapped.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Laura looked outside at Trista and Neo by the banks of the stream, out of the kitchen window and smiled. She had always meant to raise Trista this way, in the country, so pure, so beautiful. To give her something better than the childhood her and Neo had. This was the way is was supposed to be.

She dipped a finger in the chicken and celery soup she was cooking for them when they came back inside. "Mmm." Warm and creamy, just as she had wanted it. Of course, everything tasted better now.

Trista and Neo were trudging down to the shed, bucket in hand. They had gotten a fish already? They were going to have a very nice dinner.

Just then, the rotory telephone started ringing. It was one of the few electronics she let in her house, besides a flip phone for emergencies and a small old-fashioned television in the living room. Laura thought it wasn't healthy to have too many electric devices all striving for your attention.

Her brow furrowed in irritation. Almost no one called them, save for the grocer asking for more vegetables or the livestock man, Tim, offering them a special deal. Laura picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Laura, it's you! I was afraid you wouldn't pick up." said the voice on the other end of the line.

She recognized the voice immediately. "Trudy? Is that really you?!" Laura smiled. "I've missed you so much and-"

Trudy cut her off. "Laura, there's . . . no time for catching up right now." she then heard the fear in her friend's voice.

"Trudy, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

"I need you to come to my house. Something . . . something has happened. I can't talk to you on the phone."

"Okay . . ." Laura said, writing down the address Trudy gave her, hanging up without another word.

Something wasn't right. She knew Trudy wouldn't talk to her like that unless it was a real emergency. She was worried about her. So when Trista and Neo came back inside, her decision was final.

"Neo, Trista, pack your things. We're going on a road trip."

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_pure_imagination_